POLICE yesterday insisted they banned a dad whose son froze to death in a coal bunker from a police misconduct hearing because of threats.

They claimed Neville Sellers, 44, warned a senior policeman he would bring a "weapon" to the Colwyn Bay HQ hearing.

So he was banned by the panel hearing the disciplinary case of two cops who were the last to see Lee Sellers, 17, as he drunkenly walked barefoot on a bitterly cold night two years ago.

But yesterday Mr Sellers revealed his only "weapon" was inviting the media to join him at the hearing.

As he arrived at the force HQ, two officers wearing protective clothing jumped from a waiting police car to tell him he was not allowed to go to the meeting.

One of the officers said it was "because of threats made earlier on this year".

After a day of wrangling by the panel, headed by Dyfed Powys deputy chief constable Barry Taylor, a compromise was struck.

When the hearing resumes today Mr Sellers will be allowed to listen from an adjoining room, but not see the officers or hear evidence identifying them.

Later North Wales assistant chief constable Ian Shannon said the case was "unusual".

He said the force consulted the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) about allowing Mr Sellers to attend the hearing. He said police actions were "prompted by threats two weeks ago by Mr Sellers".

"He made the threat directly to the officer who personally took him a letter informing him of his right to attend the meeting.

"The threat was considered to be sufficiently serious to be brought to the attention of the disciplinary panel's presiding officer. A decision was then taken to exclude Mr Sellers to prevent the possibility of any conflict.

"When Mr Sellers was informed of this decision on Friday he threatened to attend the hearing and suggested that he would be in possession of a weapon.

"It is only this morning North Wales Police have been told by Mr Sellers his weapon, is in fact, the media."

Mr Shannon conceded: "We took him literally." Lee's body was found two weeks after he was stopped by the officers on the A5550 towards Penyffordd, following a call from a lorry driver who swerved to avoid him. Lee died of hypothermia.

Mr Sellers, who now lives in Bar-mouth, lodged an official complaint.

He and his estranged wife were told they could attend the hearing in a January 5 letter from North Wales Chief Superintendent Alan Green.

But Mr Sellers received a phone call from the senior officer a fortnight later saying the police objected to their presence. The officer rang back the next day to say they could not attend.

Last night Mr Sellers said he threatened police "only in earlier times when I said they should get something done (about finding Lee who was then still missing) or I would do it for them".

He said: "All I wanted to know is what happened to my son." He added the panel seemed "very fair".